Launch
by CreateAnInsaneWorld
Summary: It was his duty, his job to protect him, and yet this boy, only a year younger than him, a soldier, saved him. In which, Jimmy saves Matt's life during a Skitter attack and the after affects has him gaining a perspective on a boy, who he doesn't like, but really knows nothing about. Beginnings of Ben/Jimmy friendship; Vague Hal/Lourdes


**Okay, this is my first Falling Skies fic, but I absolutely love this show and I had to write something about it.**

**I'm currently on season 2 (_WHY DID THEY KILL JIMMY?_) and I loved the whole Ben/Jimmy partnership, but I was curious as to how they became friends, because last time I knew Jimmy wasn't the biggest fan of Ben, but this is my take on it.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own. Never will.**

* * *

**launch **_**v.  
**__to start (a person) on a course, career, etc._

It started on a Thursday.

Or maybe it was a Saturday.

It was hard to keep track of the day of the week lately, but he was pretty sure that it started on Thursday because he remembered the feeling of it being so close to the weekend-a time where he could hang out with his friends and spend time with his family (_he remembers the sound of an annoyed Hal and the childish giggles of Matt, the smell of cinnamon and apples of his mother, and the soothing tone wrapping the words of Harry Potter around him and catching a whiff of books and leather from his father_)-but still having to deal with it being the week and feeling like the weekend could never get there fast enough.

He wishes he was in school sitting in English class behind the pretty red head who had deep brown eyes the sparkled whenever she laughed and smiled at the stupid jokes he would make causing his stomach to twist in knots. _Heather_, he tried to remember her name wondering if she was somewhere with her family fighting to stay alive like they were (_he remembers working up the nerve to finally ask her out after he talked to both his dad and Hal)._

He never did ask her out.

Ben Mason clutched the assault rifle with stiff hands as he continuously shoot at multiple incoming skitters. He could feel the heavy presence of Hal pressing into his back, anchoring him to the new reality of the new world; he caught the sight of Maggie and Coronel Weaver a few yards away taking cover behind a flipped over supply truck and despite the combat he was currently facing the knowledge that his older brother and the fighter and Coronel were here fighting gave him a sense of safety that he usually felt with his father.

He pushed away the ache the thought caused.

The sound of more gun fire and the screaming continued at being background noise, nothing really entering his mind other than _skitters and shooting and death and Where's dad? Where's my dad?_

It was Hal's frantic yell that pulled him back down and suddenly everything was too loud too soon making it hard for him to hear what had cause Hal to start panicking.

A name.

He was screaming a name.

"_-des!"_

He almost fell over not expecting Hal to have run off.

"_Lourdes!"_ He heard Hal yell fully and he tensed as it registered to him.

Something was happening to Lourdes.

Matt was with Lourdes.

"_Matt! You need to run!" _He heard Lourdes shout, the sound shrill and almost on the verge of hyperventilating. "_Run! I'll be right behind you!"_

Finishing off the skitter that he had been shooting at, he took off, heading in the direction that Hal went. Where Matt and Lourdes were at.

He suddenly saw what had grabbed Hal's attention.

While he and the others were out dealing with the skitters, Lourdes and Anne had been trying to get the civilians out to safety. Matt stuck to her like he was told to do should they ever be attacked.

_Hal had lowered himself to Matt's level to look him in the eye as Lourdes sat next to the youngest Mason on one of their cots. The expression on the older girl's face was drawn tight around the eyes and mouth, the seriousness no doubt mirrored on Hal's._

_He saw Matt look between their brother and their friend._

"_Now listen here Matt, I'm going to need you to do me a favor, okay?" Hal asked softly as he placed a hand on the boy's knee giving it a gentle squeeze as Matt nodded._

"_If anything happens, anything," Hal stretched out the word, citing its importance, "I need you to find Lourdes and stay with her. Do not leave her side no matter what unless she tells you too. Do you understand?"_

_Their younger brother looked at him with childish confusion. "But why can't I find you and Ben?"_

"_We'll probably be fighting, and we can't do that if you're there." Hal said gently, "We'd be too worried about you to focus on anything else."_

"_Knowing that you're safe will make it easier for them to come back to you." Lourdes soothing voice finished off Hal's thought._

_Matt's eyes were slightly watery as he spoke, "Do you promise to come back?"_

_He watched as Hal and Lourdes glance at each other, seemingly having a conversation._

"_We'll try our best to come back." Hal eventual said, tearing his gaze away from Lourdes and back to their brother._

_Matt reluctantly seemed satisfied with the answer._

"_But do you promise to find Lourdes, Matt? If Ben and I try best to come back to you, do you promise to stay with Lourdes?" Hal asked continuing on with the main objective._

"_I promise."_

Lourdes and Anne seemed to have gotten all the civilians out and were on their way to follow when a small group of four skitters and a mech found them.

Pope, Anthony, Jimmy and some others were fighting them off trying to give the women and Matt the chance to run, but skitters were shooting a little too close to Lourdes, knocking her down and a vehicle to collapse near her thus what had grabbed Hal's attention.

The quickly retreating back of his little brother with Anne following not too far behind was what he witnessed as Lourdes tried to stand up with Hal helping her. He didn't pay attention to the way his brother's hands fell on her hips, tightening his grip to bring her closer. He didn't notice when Lourdes quickly said something to Hal, who responded in kind with a small firm shake of her shoulders and a quick surprising kiss to her forehead, before sending her off towards Matt.

He did notice, however, a skitter heading towards Matt and Anne with its weapon raised and ready.

The shot landed just behind Matt and Anne, sending them flying. He heard Matt shrieking and Anne telling him to continuing running with Lourdes and Hal calling out his name.

He raised his own rifle, aiming to take the shot, finger pulling the trigger.

Nothing happened.

He tried again and just heard the slight click.

_No. No. Not now. Not when I need it the most. Not Matt. Not my baby brother, _he thought suddenly desperate as he fumbled with shaking hands to replace the empty clip.

He glanced up repeatedly as he hurried his movements, when the skitter shrieked and backed away slightly. It continued until it finally collapsed on the ground the loud silent thud.

Ben gazed over to the group who had been protecting them and spotted Jimmy looking satisfied and grateful.

Jimmy saved Matt's life.

He couldn't give much more thought to it as he was quickly pulled back into the battle, but he made mental note to thank Jimmy.

* * *

The days following the battle were filled with everyone filling the vehicles so they could move to a new base.

He made sure Matt was in his line of sight of all time and Hal split his time between his orders from Weaver, keeping an eye on Matt, and awkwardly avoiding Lourdes, who seemed to be doing the same.

It amused him greatly at how his older brother was acting because of the young medic. There wasn't much that got to Hal, but apparently watching Lourdes Delgado almost get crushed to death by a truck and giving her a kiss on the forehead had him acting like floor was about to collapse from under his feet. The strange awkwardness that his brother was displaying was nothing like how it was when he was pursuing Karen (from what he heard at least) or flirting with Maggie.

He snorted to himself as he watched Hal nearly collide with Lourdes as she turned a corner, the box of medical supplies in her hands almost falling to the ground had Hal not reacted quickly catching it. He handed it back to the quiet girl, who gave him a searching look as she said her thanks. Hal nodded and said something that he couldn't make out from where he was, but whatever it was Lourdes gave him a small sad smile before moving out of his way and heading towards the med van.

Hal didn't move, but Ben saw him groan and run a hand through his hair in frustration.

_Idiot, _Ben mocked with a shake of his head.

He glanced around trying to catch sight of Matt, spotting him heading towards the med van where he would ride with Lourdes and Anne. His younger brother was still sore from flying a few yards when the blast had nearly hit him. He had landed on his back, knocking the wind out of him and leaving some bruising that should fade away in the coming week, according to Anne.

Relaxing slightly at the knowledge of where his little brother was, he headed towards where Anthony was loading supplies in one of the trucks with some other people.

He happened to look over and spotted Jimmy walking away from Weaver. Ben faltered in his steps, the events of the battle replaying in his mind once again.

_Matt and Skitters. Lourdes nearly pinned down. Skitter getting ready to shoot. Can't breathe. Can't think._

_Bang._

_Bang._

_Bang._

_Skitters goes down and what just happened?  
_

_Jimmy standing there with a smoking gun._

Before he knew what he was doing, he was making his way to the other boy. It was strange; coming to talk to him, to thank him for saving his brother's life. It was his duty, his job to protect him, and yet this boy, only a year younger than him, a soldier, saved him.

He could never repay him enough.

"Hey! Jimmy!" He called out causing the boy mentioned to pause and turn to face him. Ben tried to ignore the way he tensed, hands gripping his rifle a little too close to comfort, but he wasn't brushed off in public.

"What?"

It wasn't a friendly greeting, but it wasn't overly hostile either. It was just flat. Nothing in his tone to tell what he was thinking or feeling.

"Look, I know you don't like me." Ben started.

"That's not true." Jimmy started though even Ben could tell he didn't mean them.

"Yes it is, but that's not this is about." The blond brushed it away.

"Then what is it about?" Jimmy questioned almost curiously. Sadly what Ben had said was true; despite not even knowing him, Jimmy didn't like him. Simply for the fact of the other boy's former association with the skitters. It was petty and very grade school, but that didn't mean it still wasn't true. He always wondered if the next skitter attack was because Ben somehow informed his captor, using him as a spy.

_Would Ben's family be safe with him around? Would the 2__nd__ Mass? Would he betray them?_

"I just wanted to say thanks." Ben told him.

Jimmy stared up at him blankly, his grip loosing on his gun slightly.

"For what?"

Ben shifted nervously on his feet, suddenly wondering if this was a good idea.

"For saving Matt's life. I tried to take the shot, but my clip was empty. I was trying to switch it out, but my hand wouldn't stop damn shaking. Perfect timing." He said the last part bitterly.

Jimmy stayed silent for a long moment as he continued to stare up at him.

"I was just doing my job." He eventually said.

Ben nodded, "I know, but it still doesn't mean I'm not grateful. With my dad-" he paused, voice catching slightly, "_away_, Hal and Matt are all I have left and if something were to happen to them." He shook his head. "I don't know what I would do."

"Right." Jimmy exhaled slowly, processing the words, "Well you're welcome, I guess."

They stood in silence for a few awkward moments before Ben cleared his throat. "I have to go help Anthony load the supply trucks."

"Yeah, Weaver wanted me to check on the fuel." Jimmy said unnecessarily.

"I'll see you around, Jimmy." Ben told him as he started heading to where Anthony was working at.

"See you around."

Jimmy watched as Ben jog up to Anthony, grabbing a couple of the crates and loaded them into the truck, and contemplated the last ten minutes.

The whole conversation was pointless. He was doing his job during the battle, protecting the civilians and his fellow fighters. He wasn't going to let the skitter kill Matt Mason, the kid was only nine years old after all.

It confused him, but also answered one of his questions.

_Would he betray them?_

No. No, he had a feeling that Ben would rather die than betray his family and the 2nd Mass.

There was more to Ben Mason than he originally thought.

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**And there you all have it!**

**I had to throw in some Hal/Lourdes because I adore those two together.**

**But thoughts? I might continue on with this, in writing more about the growing friendship between these two boys (also probably with some Hal/Lourdes too), but it depends on if my muse hits me or not.**

**Reviews are loved.**

**-CreateAnInsaneWorld**


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